GRADE 4: MODULE 4: UNIT 2: OVERVIEW
Analyzing Characters and How they Contribute to Theme:
Reading and Analyzing The Hope Chest
Grade 4: Module 4: Unit 2:
Overview

Unit 2: Analyzing Characters and How They Contribute to Theme: Reading and Analyzing The Hope Chest

In Unit 2, students read The Hope Chest by Karen Schwabach. This novel is a piece of historical fiction set in 1920 during the passage of the 19th Amendment, which gave women in the United States the right to vote. This unit builds off the background knowledge students built in Unit 1 about Susan B. Anthony and the beginning of the suffrage movement. In reading this novel, students will continue to explore this topic and the theme “making a difference” through an analysis of the characters and events in the novel. Students will work on summarizing and analysis of characters in the first half of the unit, and analysis of a central theme in the / second half of the unit.They will use a series of chapter-by-chapter reading guides that include historical background information, a glossary of both domain-specific and academic vocabulary, and lists of complex figurative language (idioms and adages) related to this historical time period. Throughout the unit, students will demonstrate their ability to analyze the novel and its characters through writing a series of scaffolded and on-demand essays, ending with an on-demand essay that requires them to analyze how a particular character contributes to the central theme of the novel, “making a difference.”
Guiding Questions And Big Ideas
•How can one person make a difference?
•One person can take action to change things for the better.
Mid-Unit 2 Assessment / Reading and Answering Questions about a New Chapter of The Hope Chest
This assessment centers on standards NYSP12 ELA CCLS RL.4.1, RL.4.2, RL.4.3, L.4.4, and L.4.5. In this assessment, students do an on-demand read of a new chapter in The Hope Chest by Karen Schwabach (the central text for this unit), the historical fiction novel about the women’s suffrage movement and the 19th Amendment vote in Tennessee. Students will answer a series of selected-response questions centering on key academic and domain-specific vocabulary terms, as well as common figures of speech from that era. Students then will answer several text-dependent questions that assess comprehension of the main idea and key details from the text. Students will summarize the chapter using the “Somebody/In/Wanted/But/So/Then” strategy practiced throughout the first half of the unit. Finally, students will write a short essay from a prompt: “How does Violet’s thinking about the suffrage movement change in Chapter 10?” This on-demand essay portion of the mid-unit assessment serves as a formative assessment of W.4.2 and W.4.9a. (Teachers will use this portion of the assessment to give students feedback toward these standards in the second half of the unit to help them prepare for Part II of the end of unit assessment, an essay analyzing how one character’s actions contribute to the theme of the novel.)
End of Unit 2 Assessment / Reading and Answering Questions about Characters and Theme (Part I); Writing an Essay about the Theme of The Hope Chest (Part II)
This assessment centers on standards NYSP12 ELA CCLS RL.4.2, RL.4.3, RL.4.4, RL.4.6, RL.4.7, W.4.2, W.4.9a, and W.4.11. In this assessment, students answer a series of text-dependent short-answer questions and write an on-demand essay from a prompt: “How did Violet make a difference in The Hope Chest? After reading The Hope Chest, write an essay that describes how some of Violet’s actions contribute to the theme ‘making a difference.’ Make sure to provide at least two examples from the text to support your analysis.”
Content Connections
This module is designed to address English Language Arts standards. However, the module intentionally incorporates Social Studies and Science content that many teachers may be teaching during other parts of the day. These intentional connections are described below.
Big ideas and guiding questions are informed by the New York State Common Core K-8 Social Studies Framework:

NYS Social Studies Core Curriculum:
•4.2.c Many people from the past and present of New York are famous for the many ways they have contributed to their state, nation, and world in the areas of business, politics, arts, education, and science.
•4.9.b The United States and New York constitutions describe the basic rights of people and the essential function and structure of their respective governments.
•4.9.c The American constitutional government is based on principles of representative government, shared authority, fairness, and equality.
•4.9.e The people of New York are affected by both the United States and New York constitutions.
•4.11.a Major eras and events in United States history have impacted and been impacted by New York and its citizens.
•4.13.a The United States democratic system requires active participation from its citizens.
Texts
1.Susan B. Anthony, "On Women's Rights to the Suffrage," excerpt from a speech given in 1873, available at (1200L/FK 10.7)
2.Karen Schwabach, The Hope Chest (New York: Yearling, 2008), ISBN: 978-0-375-84096-8.
Copyright © 2013 by Expeditionary Learning, New York, NY. All Rights Reserved. / NYS Common Core ELA Curriculum • G4:M4:U2: Overview • June 2014 • 1
GRADE 4: MODULE 4: UNIT 2: OVERVIEW
Unit-at-a-Glance

This unit is approximately 3 ½ weeks or 18 sessions of instruction.

Lesson / Lesson Title / Long-Term Targets / Supporting Targets / Ongoing
Assessment / Anchor Charts &
Protocols
Lesson 1 / Listening to and Rereading a Speech by Susan B. Anthony to Infer about Her as a Leader of Change / •I can make inferences using specific details from the text. (RI.4.1)
•I can adjust my writing practices for different time frames, tasks, purposes, and audiences. (W.4.10)
•I can identify the reason a speaker provides to support a particular point. (SL.4.3) / •I can respond in writing to a partner’s ideas.
•I can infer why Susan B. Anthony wrote and delivered “On Women’s Right to the Suffrage.” / •Written Conversation papers
•Close Read recording form / •Guiding Questions
•Things Close Readers Do
•Written Conversation protocol
Lesson 2 / Preparing to Read The Hope Chest by Karen Schwabach / •I can summarize informational text. (RI.4.2)
•I can describe a story’s characters, setting, or events using specific details from the text. (RL.4.3) / •I can explain how the 19th Amendment was passed in 1920, using details from the “Movin’ on Up” section of the text “Order in the Court.”
•I can use a variety of strategies to help me understand the story elements in the beginning of The Hope Chest. / •Annotated text for “Movin’ on Up”
•Triad summary statement for “Movin’ on Up” / •Timeline: History of Voting in America: Women’s Suffrage Movement
•Norms for Triad Talk
•Process for Using a Glossary
•Vocabulary Strategies
Lesson 3 / Summarizing Literature and Analyzing Characters: The Hope Chest, Chapter 1 / •I can summarize a story, drama, or poem. (RL.4.2)
•I can compare and contrast different narrators’ points of view. (RL.4.6)
•I can describe a story’s characters, setting, or events using specific details from the text. (RL.4.3) / •I can summarize Chapter 1 of The Hope Chest using specific details from the text.
•I can explain the difference between first-person and third-person point of view.
•I can describe actions Violet takes in Chapter 1 and what this says about the type of person she is. / •Reader’s Guide for The Hope Chest, Chapter 1: “The Stolen Letters,” including text-dependent questions (from homework)
•Exit ticket / •Somebody In Wanted But So Then
•Violet’s Character
Lesson / Lesson Title / Long-Term Targets / Supporting Targets / Ongoing
Assessment / Anchor Charts &
Protocols
Lesson 4 / Analyzing Descriptive Language: The Hope Chest, Chapters 1–3 / •I can analyze the meaning of figurative and complex language. (L.4.5a, c) / •I can read Chapter 3 of The Hope Chest for gist.
•I can explain the meaning of simple similes in context.
•I can name synonyms and antonyms for vocabulary words. / •Summary statements for Chapters 2 and 3 / •Synonyms and Antonyms
•Violet’s Character
•Vocabulary Strategies
Lesson 5 / Summarizing Literature and Analyzing Characters: The Hope Chest, Chapter 3 / •I can effectively engage in discussions with diverse partners about fourth-grade topics and texts. (SL.4.1a, b)
•I can summarize a story, drama, or poem. (RL.4.2)
•I can describe a story’s characters, setting, or events using specific details from the text. (RL.4.3) / •I can use evidence from The Hope Chest when I discuss the text.
•I can follow the Norms for Triad Talk when I participate in a conversation with my reading partners.
•I can summarize Chapter 3 of The Hope Chest using specific details from the text.
•I can describe actions Myrtle takes in Chapter 3 and what this says about the type of person she is. / •Reader’s Guide for The Hope Chest, Chapter 3: “Meeting Myrtle” (from homework)
•Text-dependent questions for Chapter 3 / •Norms for Triad Talk
•Synonyms and Antonyms
•Myrtle’s Character
Lesson 6 / Clustering Vocabulary to Build Meaning from a Text / •I can explain what a text says using specific details from the text. (RL.4.1)
•I can use a variety of strategies to determine the meaning of words and phrases. (L.4.4) / •I can explain the events of Chapters 4 and 5 in The Hope Chest using details from the text.
•I can sort vocabulary words into categories.
•I can explain plot events and character details using my understanding of word categories. / •Reader’s Guides for Chapters 4 and 5 (from homework)
•Word categories exercises / •Violet’s Character
•Myrtle’s Character
Lesson / Lesson Title / Long-Term Targets / Supporting Targets / Ongoing
Assessment / Anchor Charts &
Protocols
Lesson 7 / Summarizing Chapters 1–6 of The Hope Chest Using a Story Map / •I can explain what a text says using specific details from the text. (RL.4.1)
•I can summarize a story, drama, or poem. (RL.4.2) / •I can determine the main idea of each chapter I’ve read in The Hope Chest.
•I can summarize the events of Chapters 1–6 of The Hope Chest. / •Reader’s Guide for The Hope Chest, Chapter 6: “It All Comes Down to Tennessee.” (from homework)
•Chapter 6 summary statement
•Story Map and Summary: The Hope Chest, Chapters 1–6
Lesson 8 / Preparing to Write an Essay about Myrtle: Reading about the Jim Crow Laws / •I can determine the main idea using specific details from the text. (RI.4.2)
•I can describe a story’s characters, setting, or events using specific details from the text. (RL.4.3)
•I can choose evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. (W.4.9) / •I can explain why Myrtle was forced to sit in a separate train car in The Hope Chest.
•I can write a short essay that describes the experience of Myrtle’s ride in the “colored car” in The Hope Chest. / •Reader’s Guide for The Hope Chest, Chapter 7: “Heading to Nashville” (from homework)
•Essay planning notes
•Exit ticket / •Violet’s Character
•Myrtle’s Character
•Other Characters’ Actions
Lesson / Lesson Title / Long-Term Targets / Supporting Targets / Ongoing
Assessment / Anchor Charts &
Protocols
Lesson 9 / Examining the Structure of Short Essays and Gathering Evidence for an Essay about Myrtle / •I can describe a story’s characters, setting, or events using specific details from the text. (RL.4.3)
•I can choose evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. (W.4.9)
•I can write informative/explanatory texts that convey ideas and information clearly. (W.4.2). / •I can gather evidence for a short essay that describes how Myrtle was affected by her experience riding in the “colored car” in The Hope Chest.
•I can describe the basic structure of a short essay. / •Reader’s Guide for The Hope Chest, Chapter 8: “In the Jim Crow Car” (from homework)
•Essay Prompt/Planner / •Myrtle’s Character
•Structure of a Short Essay
•Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face protocol
Lesson 10 / Writing a Short Essay about Myrtle and Discussing Character Reactions to Jim Crow / •I can summarize a story, drama, or poem. (RL.4.2)
•I can describe a story’s characters, setting, or events using specific details from the text. (RL.4.3)
•I can choose evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. (W.4.9)
•I can effectively engage in discussions with diverse partners about fourth-grade topics and texts. (SL.4.1) / •I can write a focus statement supported by evidence from the text for my essay about Myrtle.
•I can write a short essay that describes the experience of Myrtle’s ride in the “colored car” in The Hope Chest. / •Reader’s Guide for The Hope Chest, Chapter 9: “Mr. Martin’s Escape” (from homework)
•Short Essay about the Character Myrtle in The Hope Chest
•Text-dependent questions for Brainstorm Carousel / •Violet’s Character
•Other Characters’ Actions
•Structure of a Short Essay
•Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face protocol
Lesson / Lesson Title / Long-Term Targets / Supporting Targets / Ongoing
Assessment / Anchor Charts &
Protocols
Lesson 11 / Mid-Unit Assessment: Reading and Answering Questions about a New Chapter of The Hope Chest / •I can make inferences using specific details from text. (RL.4.1)
•I can summarize a story, drama, or poem. (RL.4.2)
•I can describe a story’s characters, setting, or events using details from the text. (RL.4.3)
•I can use context to help me determine what a word or phrase means. (L.4.4)
•I can analyze figurative language, word relationships, and slight differences in word meanings. (L.4.5)
•I can develop the topic with facts, definitions, details, and quotations. (W.4.2b)
•I can choose evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. (W.4.9) / •I can describe what happened to Violet in a chapter from The Hope Chest using details from the text.
•I can summarize a chapter from The Hope Chest.
•I can write a short essay about Violet supported by evidence from the text. / •Mid-Unit 2 Assessment: Reading and Answering Questions about a New Chapter of The Hope Chest
•Tracking My Progress, Mid-Unit 2 recording form / •Structure of a Short Essay
Lesson / Lesson Title / Long-Term Targets / Supporting Targets / Ongoing
Assessment / Anchor Charts &
Protocols
Lesson 12 / Summarizing The Hope Chest Chapters 7–11 and Interpreting and Creating Cover Art / •I can explain what a text says using specific details from the text. (RL.4.1)
•I can make inferences using specific details from text. (RL.4.1)
•I can summarize a story, drama, or poem. (RL.4.2)
•I can make connections between a text and the text’s visuals. (RL.4.7) / •I can make connections between a text and an artist’s interpretation of the text through cover art from The Hope Chest.
•I can summarize the events of Chapters 7–11 of The Hope Chest.
•I can interpret the events so far in The Hope Chest by creating a new cover. / •Reader’s Guide for The Hope Chest, Chapter 11: “Finding Chloe” (from homework)
•Story Map and Summary: The Hope Chest Chapters 7–11
•Cover Art Analysis sheet / •Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face protocol
Lesson 13 / Introducing Literary Theme: Exploring Themes in The Hope Chest / •I can describe a story’s characters, setting, or events using specific details from the text. (RL.4.3)
•I can determine the theme of a story, drama, or poem. (RL.4.2) / •I can explain how to determine a theme in a story.
•I can determine possible themes for The Hope Chest.
•I can find evidence of a given theme in The Hope Chest. / •Reader’s Guide for The Hope Chest, Chapter 12: “Violet Spies” (from homework)
•Finding Themes in The Hope Chest handout / •Violet’s Character
•Other Characters’ Actions
•Theme
Lesson / Lesson Title / Long-Term Targets / Supporting Targets / Ongoing
Assessment / Anchor Charts &
Protocols
Lesson 14 / Determining the Central Theme of The Hope Chest / •I can describe a story’s characters, setting, or events using specific details from the text. (RL.4.3)
•I can determine the theme of a story, drama, or poem. (RL.4.2) / •I can determine the central theme of The Hope Chest.
•I can find evidence of the central theme in the text of The Hope Chest. / •Reader’s Guide for The Hope Chest, Chapter 13: “Dead Horse Alley” (from homework)
•Reader’s Guide for The Hope Chest, Chapter 14: “Max Bloomstein’s Pharmacy” (from homework)
•Violet’s Character anchor chart, Myrtle’s Character anchor, and Other Characters’ Actions anchor chart
•Finding the Central Theme in The Hope Chest recording form / •Violet’s Character anchor chart (from previous lessons)
•Myrtle’s Character anchor (from previous lessons)
•Other Characters’
Lesson 15 / Writing an Essay on Theme: Introducing a Prompt and Analyzing a Model Essay / •I can determine the theme of a story, drama, or poem. (RL.4.2)
•I can write informative/explanatory texts that convey ideas and information clearly. (W.4.2)
•I can choose evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. (W.4.9a) / •I can explain how evidence I locate in The Hope Chest is connected to the central theme, “making a difference.”
•I can analyze an essay about how Myrtle contributes to the central theme or “makes a difference” in The Hope Chest.
•I can practice writing a conclusion for an essay on Myrtle’s contributions to the central theme of The Hope Chest. / •Reader’s Guide for The Hope Chest, Chapter 15: “The Ferocious Mrs. Catt” (from homework)
•Model and Practice Essay on Theme handout / •Violet’s Character
•Myrtle’s Character
•Other Characters’ Actions
•Structure of a Short Essay
Lesson / Lesson Title / Long-Term Targets / Supporting Targets / Ongoing
Assessment / Anchor Charts &
Protocols
Lesson 16 / Preparing to Write an Essay about Theme: Reading and Gathering Evidence from Chapter 17 in The Hope Chest / •I can describe a story’s characters, setting, or events using specific details from the text. (RL.4.3)
•I can determine the theme of a story, drama, or poem. (RL.4.2)
•I can write informative/explanatory texts that convey ideas and information clearly. (W.4.2)
•I can choose evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. (W.4.9a) / •I can identify evidence of the central theme, “making a difference,” in The Hope Chest.
• I can explain how the evidence I select contributes to the central theme of The Hope Chest, “making a difference.”
•I can discuss how Violet contributes to the theme “making a difference” throughout the novel The Hope Chest, using evidence from the text. / •Reader’s Guide for The Hope Chest, Chapter 16: “Politics and Gunplay” (from homework)
•Text-dependent questions for Chapter 17
•Student Copy of the Character anchor charts / •Violet’s Character
Lesson 17 / End of Unit Assessment, Part I: Reading and Answering Questions about Characters and Theme / •I can determine the theme of a story, drama, or poem. (RL.4.2)
•I can summarize a story, drama, or poem. (RL.4.2)
•I can describe a story’s characters, setting, or events using specific details from the text. (RL.4.3)
•I can determine word meaning in a text. (RL.4.4)
•I can compare and contrast different narrators’ points of view. (RL.4.6)
•I can make connections between a text and the text’s visuals. (RL.4.7) / •I can determine evidence of the central theme, “making a difference,” in a chapter from The Hope Chest.
•I can summarize a new chapter from The Hope Chest with details about characters, setting, and events from the text.
•I can make connections between the text and a different version of its cover. / •End of Unit 2 Assessment, Part I: Reading and Answering Questions about Characters and Theme
•Tracking My Progress, End of Unit 2, Part I recording form / •Violet’s Character
Lesson / Lesson Title / Long-Term Targets / Supporting Targets / Ongoing
Assessment / Anchor Charts &
Protocols
Lesson 18 / End of Unit Assessment, Part II: Writing an Essay about the Theme of The Hope Chest / •I can determine the theme of a story, drama, or poem. (RL.4.2)
•I can describe a story’s characters, setting, or events using specific details from the text. (RL.4.3)
•I can choose evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. (W.4.9) / •I can write an essay describing how Violet’s character “made a difference” in the novel The Hope Chest. / •End of Unit 2 Assessment, Part II: Writing an Essay about the Theme of The Hope Chest / •Violet’s Character
Copyright © 2013 by Expeditionary Learning, New York, NY. All Rights Reserved. / NYS Common Core ELA Curriculum • G4:M4:U2: Overview • June 2014 • 1
GRADE 4: MODULE 4: UNIT 2: OVERVIEW
Analyzing Characters and How they Contribute to Theme:
Reading and Analyzing The Hope Chest
Optional: Experts, Fieldwork, And Service
Experts:
•Invite a representative from the local historical society to come talk to your class about the suffrage movement and its impact on local history.
•Invite a politician to visit the class to discuss why he or she needs voters.
Fieldwork:
•Visit the local historical society and ask to take a tour of its archived photographs and documents related to the suffrage movement and other historical events referenced in the novel (World War I, the Influenza Epidemic of 1918, the rise of the automobile, etc.).
•Take your class to a local government building to talk to elected officials; go to the office of elections.
Service:
•Volunteer for a local voter registration drive.
Preparation and Materials
For each chapter students read in the novel The Hope Chest by Karen Schwabach, they will have an accompanying Reader’s Guide. These guides are designed to support students with historical background information related to each chapter, a glossary of domain-specific and academic vocabulary, and a graphic organizer for summarizing the chapter. You have two options for how to organize the Reader’s Guides. You may give students these Reader’s Guide pages lesson-by-lesson, collect the guides as formative assessment and then give back for students to keep in a reading folder for reference, or staple all of the Reader’s Guides into a single packet for students to work through over the course of the unit.
The Reader’s Guides are designated as a support for students in reading chapters independently for homework (or at a time designated for independent reading during the school day). See the reading calendar below, which shows what chapter and Reader’s Guide is assigned and due for each lesson.
Copyright © 2013 by Expeditionary Learning, New York, NY. All Rights Reserved. / NYS Common Core ELA Curriculum • G4:M4:U2: Overview • June 2014 • 1
GRADE 4: MODULE 4: UNIT 2: OVERVIEW
Reading Calendar:
The Hope Chest

The calendar below shows what is due on each day.